“She’s avoiding us on purpose,” Jeff said one evening. “Those excuses… they’re all lies.”
“She just needs time,” I replied, though I wasn’t entirely convinced myself.
Honestly, it hurt to see Linda so isolated, but we decided to give her the space she seemed to need.
Then came Thanksgiving.
I wasn’t expecting much when I extended the invitation this year. I figured she’d say no like always.
But to my surprise, she agreed.
“Wait, seriously?” Jeff asked when I told him the news.
“Seriously,” I said, grinning. “Maybe she’s finally ready to come out of her shell.”
“Or maybe she’s plotting something,” Jeff joked, wiggling his eyebrows.
I laughed, but deep down, his words stuck with me. Linda had always been unpredictable, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had changed her mind.
I threw myself into preparing the perfect dinner.
I wanted everything to be the best. I wanted my family to have a great time.
When the big day arrived, the house smelled of roasted turkey, candied yams, and freshly baked pumpkin pie.
Ava was busy helping me set the table as she waited for everyone to arrive. Everything was going according to plan until Linda walked through the door.
When she arrived, I knew right away something was wrong.
She stood in the doorway, clutching a small bag of treats in one hand and her sweater tightly against her chest with the other.
Her usual composed demeanor was absent and she looked super nervous.
That in itself wasn’t strange, but it was what happened next that caught my attention.
Linda locked the door behind her.
She’d never done that before, not even when Ava had accidentally barged in on her once. It was out of character, and it made me curious.
“Is your mom okay?” I whispered to Jeff as we both peeked toward the hallway.
“Maybe she needed a minute,” he shrugged. “You know how she hates long car rides.”
When Linda emerged from the bathroom, I swear her sweater looked bulkier than before.
I couldn’t be certain, but something seemed off.Continue reading…
